About Carolina Beach

Carolina Beach is located 15 miles south of Wilmington, NC, on the northern end of Pleasure Island, the larger of two barrier islands in New Hanover County. Established in 1857 and incorporated in 1925, Carolina Beach has a welcoming, small town atmosphere.

Embrace the unique beachside boardwalk, named one of the top boardwalks in the country by Food & Wine magazine – where you can browse shops, eateries, and arcades…and feel like a kid again. There are countless ways to tempt your taste buds at Carolina Beach from gourmet cuisine and sushi to tiki bars and grills to award-winning chowder and the famous, family-owned Britt’s Donuts, where mouthwatering doughnuts have been prepared and served warm since 1939.

For those who love boating or fishing, Carolina Beach is home to some of the best on the North Carolina coast. The Carolina Beach Fishing Center and Marina is home to one of North Carolina’s largest selections of recreational fishing fleets and party boats. It also offers charters for inshore, offshore, Gulf Stream and tournament fishing excursions, as well as eco-tours, and sightseeing and evening cruises. There are opportunities for surf fishing, bottom fishing, shell fishing and deep-sea fishing.

Carolina Beach Lake Park — according to the Guinness Book of World Records — is the largest freshwater lake (11 acres) near saltwater. There, visitors can rent paddleboats and kayaks or take in a concert at the nearby amphitheater. The 761-acre Carolina Beach State Park is home to the rare and beautiful Venus flytrap, as well as nature trails, campsites, a visitor’s center, marina and educational programs. A popular area of beach known as Freeman Park is a standard spot for fishing, camping and four-wheeling. And, the adventurous will enjoy the Carolina Beach Skate Park, located at Mike Chappell Park. For history buffs, Carolina Beach offers the Federal Point History Center. Visitors can learn about the history and development of Carolina Beach. Pre-historic, Colonial and Civil War periods are also portrayed through a series of exhibits and audio-visual presentations.